Northern Health has launched its first dedicated public sleep service to address the long-standing gap in access to sleep medicine for communities across Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Until now, all sleep testing at Northern Health was outsourced to external providers, often resulting in long wait times, high out-of-pocket costs, and limited clinical support, with barriers posing particular challenges for patients with time-sensitive conditions.
The new sleep centre in Epping’s Northern Hospital features a six-bed laboratory capable of both overnight and daytime testing, including assessments for hypersomnia and introduces a digitally enabled, person-centred model of care that is reshaping how sleep health is delivered.
The laboratory is reported to deliver a streamlined, multidisciplinary model of care designed to improve access and reduce delays, ensuring timely treatment for conditions like obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), insomnia and parasomnias.
Dr Katharine See, director of Respiratory and Chief Outcomes Officer at Northern Health, said the service demonstrates how innovation can drive equity.
“By prioritising those most at risk and supporting people through digital pathways, we are improving access and delivering the outcomes that matter most to our community,” Dr See said.
Northern Health’s sleep centre has set itself apart from traditional treatments through its digitally enabled care pathway delivered through the My Health@Northern app. Before a first consultation, patients are asked to complete an evidence-based questionnaire via SMS which enables clinicians to identify those at highest risk in an aim to prioritise them for care.
The process is being used in a bid to empower patients to manage their own health from home while also improving long -term outcomes and freeing up clinician time for more individualised care.
For more information https://northernsleepcentre.com.au/.
